South Korean shipbuilding company Hanwha Ocean has signed memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with BlackBerry and L3 Harris MAPPS, at the Canada’s Global Defence & Security Trade Show (CANSEC 2025) defence exhibition held in Ottawa.
The partnership with BlackBerry focuses on cybersecurity, while the collaboration with L3 Harris MAPPS is aimed at enhancing integrated simulation and platform automation technologies.
Through these agreements with BlackBerry and L3 Harris MAPPS, Hanwha Ocean is boosting its Canadian submarine business.
BlackBerry is a Canadian firm with a focus on cybersecurity and secure communication technologies. The company has delivered security solutions to an international clientele, including government entities and vital industry sectors.
L3 Harris MAPPS, part of L3 Harris Technologies, concentrates on providing integrated automation platforms and advanced simulation systems tailored for the marine defence and energy sectors. The company has a history of equipping naval forces globally with various marine electronic systems and solutions, with the Korean Navy being among its customers.
Hanwha Global Defense CEO Michael Coulter said: “There is the potential for infinite synergy to be created through the cooperative relationship between Hanwha Ocean and its Canadian partners BlackBerry and L3 Harris MAPPS.
“Through this MoU signing, Hanwha Ocean will establish a full-fledged cooperative relationship with these partners, and will greatly contribute to further solidifying and strengthening the bilateral relationship between Korea and Canada.”
Canada’s current submarine procurement initiative stipulates offset trade conditions that benefit the local economy and industry, said Hanwha Ocean.
Previously, Hanwha Ocean established agreements with Canadian entities CAE, Curtiss-Wright Indal Technologies, and GASTOPS during 2024’s CANSEC exhibition.
Hanwha Ocean said it developed a 3,000-tonne submarine “with its own technology”.
The company’s Jangbogo-III Batch-II-class submarine (KSS-III), proposed for Canada, features innovative lithium-ion batteries and an air-independent propulsion system (AIP), making it suitable for Arctic operations with its extensive range and submerged endurance.
In addition to its Canadian ventures, Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-chul signed an MoU with PGZ SW and Nautic Shipyard for strategic cooperation in shipbuilding and maintenance at Korea’s MADEX 2025 exhibition.
This collaboration seeks to advance joint development and export of various naval vessels and systems.
The partnership is set to enhance Poland’s naval ship industry through joint projects such as the Orka submarine project and will involve technology transfer and localisation efforts.
Sung-Chul Eo said: “The cooperation with a major Polish company goes beyond a simple technological alliance and will serve as a bridge for shipbuilding industry cooperation between Korea and Poland.”
In September 2024, Hanwha Ocean approached a major Polish military technology company, WB Group, to work together in pursuit of supporting Poland’s Orka submarine programme.
